1. Field of the Invention
The device of this invention resides in the area of structures for the conducting of chromatographic immunoassay testing of a fluid on a reagent-containing membrane strip and more particularly relates to a test container holding the fluid to be tested to accomplish a test while the container is in a closed state.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Triage assay testing of bodily fluids is well known but has the serious disadvantage of requiring the tester to be exposed to contact with bodily fluids, such as urine, during the pipetting step. Such tests are slow, multi-step procedures which are difficult to carry out in hectic environments such as hospital emergency rooms.
In the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,923 to Lipsky et al which patent discloses a specimen cup with a cover wherein the fluid to be tested is first placed in the specimen cup. The cover is positioned on the cup, and the closed cup is inverted so that the fluid can pass into apertures in the cover assembly where it reacts with a reagent therein to cause different color reactions which display the analytical characteristics of the fluid being tested. Such a specimen cup structure has great advantages in today's health environment where bodily fluids may contain dangerous viruses such as AIDS and the like. Health workers do not want to endanger their health by coming in direct physical contact with such fluids but still wish to perform necessary tests safely. In some cases the sealing of the fluids within such a specimen cup can be done by the person whose fluids are being tested. For example, in urine testing the subject whose urine is to be tested would urinate into the specimen cup and would then place the cover on the cup, sealing the urine in the cup. The lab technician performing the test need not open the cup or come in direct contact with the bodily fluids contained in the specimen cup. Thus a specimen cup which can be sealed during testing has a significant advantage over the open-cup fluid testing procedures of the past. U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,830 to Davis advances this concept in the prior art by providing a test space in the lid, under a transparent top, for positioning chemical test strip pads, such test space being initially sealed and when desired, a frangible portion of the inside of the lid can be broken open by pressure through the top of the lid to allow fluid to flood into the test space when the cup is inverted and cover the pads, the color change of which is visible through the transparent top of the test chamber.